Rich Lesser
Chief Executive Officer
New York
Rich Lesser is CEO of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and has served in this role since 2013. Under his leadership, BCG has continued its strong global growth across all regions and practices, fueled by investments in new offices, digital and analytics, and capabilities to drive innovation and transformation. Rich oversaw the launch of BCG Digital Ventures, a builder and accelerator of digital businesses; BCG Gamma, a cutting-edge advanced analytics, machine-learning, and AI team; BCG TURN, a rapid performance acceleration unit; and more recently, the Center for Climate Action.
Rich also serves as chief advisor to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders and is a member of several leading organizations, such as the WEF’s International Business Council, US Business Roundtable, and Helena. He has accelerated BCG’s strong investments in social impact through its many partnerships, including the World Food Programme, Save the Children, and the World Wildlife Fund, along with many global health and environment initiatives.
Rich previously served as BCG’s chairman for North and South America from 2009 to 2012 and as head of the New York Metro office system from 2000 to 2009. Since joining BCG in 1988, Rich’s client work has focused on strategy, operations, leadership, and large-scale transformation.
Prior to joining BCG, Rich worked in product development at Procter & Gamble. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar, and a BSE in chemical engineering, summa cum laude, from the University of Michigan.
Reducing exposure among those who are vulnerable to adverse health outcomes will benefit the healthy, the economically vulnerable, and society overall.
Survival is top of mind today for many companies, but thriving is the long game. That calls on leaders to respond to a new environment, a new customer, and heightened societal expectations. Here are five imperatives for adapting to and shaping the post-COVID world.
We must flatten the curve in the near term. But soon we in the US—and around the world—must figure out how to do so over the longer term, by mobilizing on multiple fronts, writes BCG CEO Rich Lesser on Fortune.com.
Multiple challenges—the rapid advance of AI and other technologies, a changing global economic order, and the increased scrutiny of business, among others—are reshaping the competitive environment. Here are five ways leaders can get ahead of those trends.
For most CEOs, real success remains elusive. But by deftly exploiting a five-part algorithm, they can boost their chances of a truly successful tenure.
Contributing to society cannot be a side activity. Companies that use their core business to address environmental, social, and governance issues can create more value in the long term.
The effort to increase both societal impact and shareholder returns must start at the top and then become embedded in the organization.
Companies that focus on the environmental, social, and governance issues most relevant to their industries can enjoy higher valuations and margin premiums.
Leaders must seek to boldly transform—to reimagine companies for a digital age, push for adaptability and simplicity, and provide a sense of purpose to their teams, customers, and society more broadly.
